When using firearms, it is often advantageous for the user to be able to quickly and accurately point the firearm at the target. Many devices assisting in the aiming of a firearm are available, including the classic V-sight, peephole sight, 3-dot sight and similar iron-sight structures, as well as telescopic or optical sights. However, when light conditions are poor, such as at night or in darkened rooms of buildings, a sighting device that relies on ambient light is at a disadvantage. Under such conditions, the target may itself be difficult to acquire visually and to follow if it is moving, and gunsights that are lit only by external light sources are less effective because of the need to see them and align them with the already poorly-perceived target at the time of firing the firearm.
Under poor lighting conditions, self-illuminated gunsights such as tritium sights may be used, but again the effectiveness of such sights depends on the user's ability to align them accurately with a possibly poorly-seen and/or moving target. This is particularly significant for police and military users of firearms, who in the course of their duties may very likely be confronted with a moving, dangerous threat under poor lighting conditions. To accommodate such users, sights have been developed wherein a battery-powered laser is used, the laser having been adjusted to illuminate the point of aim of the firearm. When the laser is turned on by the user of the firearm, it shines light in the direction the bullet will travel when the firearm is fired. Thus, the firearm is aimed merely by directing the laser beam towards the target. The laser beam strikes the target and is reflected back to the user's eye, informing the user exactly where the firearm is aimed and thus what the point of impact of a bullet will be if the firearm is fired.
Various laser gunsight systems have been developed for use with firearms that are equipped with a handgrip, such as handguns and long guns having a buttstock with a “pistol-grip.” The handgrip of a handgun is grasped by the user's hand or hands when the firearm is being held in the firing position. With a long gun, i.e. a rifle or a shotgun equipped with a handgrip or pistol-grip, typically the rear or “trigger” hand holds the handgrip while the front hand holds the forestock when the firearm is in the firing position.
Toole et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,600 (“Toole et al.”) discloses a laser mounted at the front of the trigger guard of an automatic pistol and an actuation switch located at the back, underside of the trigger guard. However, the power supply is located in the grip of the pistol, and wires run from the power supply to the switch, to the laser, and back to the power supply through the frame of the pistol. The pistol must be modified to accommodate the wires and switch mounting. Moreover, the laser mounting also requires modification of the front of the trigger guard.
Snyder, U.S. Pat. No. 958,332 (“Snyder”) discloses an illumination device, which is not an aiming device, for a revolver that has a light mounted in front of the trigger guard underneath the barrel, a trigger-like actuation switch disposed at the back, underside of the trigger guard, a power supply in the grip, and wires running through the frame of the revolver to connect these components. Like Toole et al., Snyder requires the revolver to either be inherently built to accommodate these features or modified to do so.
Glock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,695 (“Glock”) discloses a semi-automatic pistol having a laser disposed at the front of the trigger guard and a switch for actuating the laser built into the top of the bottom portion of the trigger guard. The switch is pivoted at the back interior of the trigger guard and moves down at the front of the trigger guard under pressure from the finger of the user to actuate the laser. This is not a device for mounting on an automatic weapon; rather, it is built into an automatic weapon. Also, the switch placement and way the switch is actuated is much different from that taught by the current invention.
Thummel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,898 discloses a laser aiming device for mounting on a semi-automatic pistol, wherein the device comprises two interconnecting parts: a mounting block that is mounted on the front of the trigger guard and clamps thereto and a main housing structure that attaches to the mounting block. An actuation switch is disposed on the main housing structure forward of the trigger guard.
A pistol-mounted illumination device, which is not an aiming device, is also known that has a flashlight disposed at the front of the trigger guard and a switch for actuating the flashlight touching the handgrip's front strap. However, the switch is attached to the flashlight using a fragile, flexible connection that is easily damaged. Furthermore, the switch is not secured against the front strap, nor is the flashlight firmly secured to the trigger guard. While maintaining critical alignment of the flashlight with respect to the gunbarrel is not essential since the flashlight's beam is too imprecise for accurate targeting, laser aiming devices must be firmly secured to maintain their alignment with respect to the gunbarrel to ensure accurate targeting.
Additional types of laser aiming devices for pistols are known. One example has a laser attached to the front of a pistol's trigger guard, leaving the remaining lower portion of the trigger guard exposed. However, the laser is activated by a switch mounted in front of the trigger finger that is remote from where the trigger finger normally lies. This does not provide for natural, instinctive operation by requiring the user to disrupt his grip on the pistol in a critical situation. Furthermore, one of the gun's assembly pins has to be removed and reinstalled in order to secure this laser aiming device in place. Removing the gun's assembly pin requires some knowledge of gunsmithing on the part of the installer and could disrupt the gun's internal components, causing the gun to malfunction. Even if removal of the assembly pin were easy, many users perceive any disassembly of their firearms as being risky. Therefore, they will avoid products requiring even only partial disassembly. In addition, this device does not extend along the lower portion of the trigger guard.
A second example has a laser attached to the front of a pistol's trigger guard and is rigid from the pistol's muzzle to the front strap. However, it has a large bridge from the front laser portion to the rear switch portion. The bridge does not extend along the lower portion of the trigger guard, but passes below the middle finger. This forces that finger, which controls the illumination switch, to pass through a hole. This makes acquiring a proper grip awkward and limits the finger's movement.
A final example is a laser attached to the front of a pistol's trigger guard and a switch for actuating the laser touching the handgrip's front strap. However, the switch is attached to the laser using a fragile, flexible connection that is easily damaged. Furthermore, the switch is not secured against the front strap.
Therefore, there is a need for a laser sighting system that may be used with standard, unmodified firearms and that does not require replacement of handgrips, attachment of special rails, removal and reinstallation of firearm pins, or other modifications. Furthermore, a system that can be readily operated by a user with the firearm in firing position, using only the hand gripping the firearm without requiring movement of the hand from the position normally used when aiming and firing the firearm, would be advantageous.
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a sighting device for a firearm having a trigger guard, a frame with an underside portion forward of the trigger guard, and a handgrip with a front strap. The sighting device has a body having a first portion including an illumination device. The body defines an engagement feature operable term the bubbly connectivity for portion of the trigger guard. The body has an elongated extension portion that extends from the first portion. The extension portion is shaped to underlie a lower portion of the trigger guard from the first portion to the front strap. The extension portion has a free end including a switch, and the extension portion includes a conductor operably connecting the switch to the illumination device.